Teacher’s Strategies in Encouraging Passive Students in Speaking English (Study at SMA Negeri 21 Makassar)

Speaking is one of the most essential skills in English language learning, yet many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students remain passive during classroom interaction due to anxiety, lack of confidence, and fear of making mistakes. This study aims to identify the strategies used by an English teacher to encourage passive students to speak English and to describe how these strategies are implemented in the classroom at SMA Negeri 21 Makassar. This research employed a descriptive qualitative design involving one English teacher and passive students of Grade X selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The collected data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman, with strategy categories developed through iterative coding of the observation, interview, and document data, while data credibility was supported through source and method triangulation. The findings revealed that the teacher implemented four major strategies: Pair Work Interaction (PWI), Cooperative Learning and Small Group Discussion (CL-SGD), Contextualized Communicative Activities supported by Multi-Sensory Media (CCA-MSM), and Affective Support through Error-Tolerant Feedback (ETF). These strategies were implemented through the stages of pre-teaching, whilst-teaching, and post-teaching. The teacher reported, and classroom observations suggested, that the strategies were associated with greater participation and with students appearing more at ease and more confident when speaking. Because anxiety and confidence were not measured, these patterns are interpreted as perceived rather than demonstrated effects. The study suggests that a supportive classroom environment combined with communicative and collaborative teaching strategies may help encourage passive students to speak English.